Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-09-22

having it introduced, and never ty my
knowledge, permitted any citizen of the
county conference With him in its behalf,
nor took any steps to aid Us 10 securing a
hearing before tie Senate Judiciary Com
mittee. His endorsement, sc much as bis
subsequent Indifference, throttled us. On
tie contrary Mr.. Barbour. after introducing
the same bill in the House, repeatedly Sc
cured US hearings hefore the House Judici-
ary Committee. onca headed q delegation of
ctizens from A;exand!ia county 10 confer
with MIR. RandaIl, ct the latter's residence,
and discussed there with us for au evening
the matter in issue That the measure
"died" in the House committee is true, but
the death and funeral are none of Mr.. Bar
bour's or ours. He ;,uver atabbed Us in the
back by refusal 10 father our bill under
the endorsement. of by Request" there
upon. The government purchased Airing
ton in 1864, an estate worth miliion,-t
would sell to. day 70. more than that sum
for the piiance Of $150,000, at once refused
to pay taxes therein, covered it with freed
meE, collecting ever since rents from them
as faithfully and reiigicusy ~ n Shylock,
compelled Us 10 feed, cloihe and school
them, refused us assistance even to .he ex-
tent of az ambulance when snail pox broke
out among them, and which involvsd us in
the expense of nearly $1,000 to stamp out
the pest, and in everywiso imposed upo. us
unjust and inequitab!e burdens We, nat
urally, felt we were entitled To recognition,
relief aud reimbursement at ;he hands of
our Legislators in Congress. II 20 far rs
Mr. Barbour had power TO act f0r us we had
redress and relief. No man could have done
more; we got absolutely nothing at The
hands Of our Senator, Gen. Malone.
do not want to do Senator Mahone the
slightest Injustice, but if no did anything,
near or remote, in our behalf, if he did not
designedly straDge us by his endorsement
of "By Request" and worse, by refusal af-
terward to hear ue, or to ask others to hear
US, then an in ignorance, end would most
gladly give him due credit.
As an old line Thig, by hcredity and ed
ucation, and as republican whose first
vote was cast fer Fremont ard last for
Blaine. I an. perhaps, in sympathy with
Gen. Malone in his aggrcssiveness against
the democratic party, and thereby in poit.
ical antagonism 10 Mr.. Barbour I certain
IL would be in full accord with the General
did he not ask mo to subscribe to the Pc
tersburg platform of 1882, which declares
that the State bonds after adjustment of
the State debt upon the Riddleberger basis
shall be subject 10 general Gnd local taxa.
tion. | was willing to accspt such adjust
ment, bnt as an eX-citizen Of Ohio--a State
supersensitive as to her debt ard its inter
est am unalie,ably opposed 10 the State
of Virginia taxing the evidences-bonds- of
her debt
But if Mr.. Barbour tcn Bourbon, as is
charged, his Bourhonsm did not exhibit it,
self TO me when prayer for relief was
made to him for a free bridge, or for re i'm
bursement for moneys wrongfullv wrung out
of the tax pagers OF Alexandria county, by
the government, for support and schooling
of its wards--the freedmen saddled on the
county through the Arlington estate with
its freedman's village Of war times
R. S. LACEY.